Theme Parks Archives - Busy Moms Helper

The Secret to Early Entry at Walt Disney World

November 7, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

Want to load up on the most important meal of the day AND get a head start on enjoying the most popular Disney attractions before the crowds hit? You gain early entry into the parks by booking a dining reservation for early character meals. Some restaurants in Disney World even allow you to book reservation times for before the park opens. This is the best Secret to Early Entry at Walt Disney World, and here’s how to do it!

Where You Can Score Early Entry

All the parks are doing it. You can get early entry to any of the parks just by scheduling your breakfast reservation at the right place and time. The most popular place to do this is, of course, Magic Kingdom, but early entry to Epcot can be leveraged to gain quick access to Frozen Ever After, and Animal Kingdom has it’s advantages too, with access to Pandora. Not to be outdone, Hollywood Studios has a character dining experience of its own. This one features Disney Junior characters. With so many rides and not a lot for small children, this breakfast makes a more balanced day for the whole family.

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Magic Kingdom: Magic Kingdom has two types of character meals. You can enjoy a multiple course feast at Cinderella’s Royal Table, where princesses will greet you as you dine. Also, you can enjoy a breakfast buffet at Crystal Palace and meet Pooh and his friends from the 100 Acre Wood. My personal favorite pre-park-opening breakfast to do isn’t a character, but still gets you into the park early – Be Our Guest restaurant!

Epcot: Epcot has two early entry dining opportunities as well. Farmer Mickey and his friends will meet with you as you dig in on a family style breakfast in the rotating restaurant Garden Grill over at the Land Pavilion in Future World. Akershus is a princess experience, similar to Cinderella’s Royal Table, but they feature more Scandinavian style cuisine and a buffet format. One of my favorite memories from our recent trip was here…

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If I had to pick my favorite moment from our trip, this was it! He told princess Aurora he knew how to waltz, so she asked him to dance with her. Love it!!! ❤️😍 #WaltDisneyWorld #akershusroyalbanquethall #epcot #princessaurora #bmhtravels #familytravel #waltz #ballroomdance #travel #disneylife
A post shared by Danielle (@busymomshelper) on Sep 20, 2018 at 11:20am PDT

Hollywood Studios: There is only one early entry restaurant available here, and I haven’t tried it myself. Hollywood and Vine is a character buffet that features Disney Junior characters. The food is meh from what I’ve heard, but kids love it for the characters and it gives you a chance to hit up some of the thrills early in the day.

Animal Kingdom: The character experience at Tusker House is headlined by Donald in safari gear, and it’s a must-do every time I visit. You’ll also find Goofy bouncing from table to table. The buffet features traditional breakfast foods for the general audience, plus some African options for a little cultural flare. The juice is AMAZING, too!

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How to Book

Book your reservations as early as possible – as early as 180 days, if you can. Make sure at that time, you have a very solid idea on paper of what parks you plan to visit and when. Securing these meals will be the next step in solidifying the path of your itinerary. By taking this step, you open up opportunities by having access to big attractions during the parks opening hours. You can then structure your day to benefit you as the park becomes busier.

What to Do Then

There will be a specific gate for early entry that you will need to go to. I’ve learned this is often to your LEFT as you face the gates. They will let you in as early as 7:30 so you can be at the restaurant by 8:00. I don’t recommend relying on the bus to get you there at the earliest. Depending on where you are staying it may be best to use Uber or Lyft, just to ensure you don’t arrive late. Save yourself some time by having them take you to the contemporary rather than the Ticket and Transportation Center, if Magic Kingdom is your destination. From there it is just a short walk, rather than waiting for a ferry or monorail.

What’s your favorite Walt Disney World breakfast?

The Best Resort Swimming Pools in Walt Disney World

October 31, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

Of all the amenities provided in a Disney World resort, perhaps the most utilized are the resort swimming pools. Not all of the resorts have a pool that is super awesome, but lots of the Disney resort swimming pools have cool themes. There are few that are extra special, though, and today we’re sharing the Best Resort Swimming Pools in Walt Disney World with these five most awesome pools on property.

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Big Blue Pool at Art of Animation

This very large resort swimming pool, themed to Finding Nemo, is a big hit with kids. The primary feature of this pool is the underwater speakers – everybody should try it out! It’s also enormous and has other nearby water pods and splash areas for the kids. The Big Blue Pool is one of Art of Animations biggest selling points.

Beach Pool at Grand Floridian

The main pool at the Grand Floridian 1-ups the original main pool, which is now the courtyard pool. This pool features a beach inspired zero-depth entry and views of the Seven Seas Lagoon. The theme here is natural springs, and waterfalls add to the rocky landscape around the 181 foot long water slide.

Ol’ Man Island Resort Swimming Pool at Port Orleans Riverside

Not the biggest pool, but a popular favorite. This pool has so much character and reinforces the laid back charm of Port Orleans Riverside. The abandoned saw mill theme is worked into the pool’s water slide and centerpiece, which add some mystery and character to the pool.

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Lava Pool at Polynesian Village

One of the best themed resort swimming pools, the Lava Pool is similar to the Beach Pool at the Grand Floridian, with zero-depth entry and a waterslide. This beautiful pool area features a towering volcano and is right on the marina overlooking Seven Seas Lagoon.

Stormalong Bay at Beach Club

The best of the best, according to many – Stormalong Bay has no competition when it comes to the best resort swimming pools. The sand bottom pool offers fun that the other pools don’t. With one of the highest water slides amid a life-size shipwreck replica, an elevated tanning deck and a lazy river, there is a reason for every guest to stop by and cool down!

What’s your favorite pool at Walt Disney World?

Guide to Walt Disney World VS Universal Orlando

October 24, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

Central Florida is one of the prime vacation spots for theme park lovers. Two titans of the entertainment industry have been bringing in families from around the globe for decades. As each company releases its new developments, the public anxiously awaits the answer of the next. As the two begin following similar trends, there are more comparisons than ever before. How they are the same, and – more interestingly – how they are different can be explored a number of ways. To get the general idea, we should look at their relative size and audience, as well as the type of vacation experiences they provide and their most recent developments. This Comparison Guide to Walt Disney World VS Universal Orlando will help you choose which to visit (or be like us, and try to do both!)

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Size

When comparing the sizes of the two resorts it’s better to compare Universal Orlando with one of the other Disney destinations. Not only is it a more fair comparison, it’s more accurate. Walt Disney World is a unique vacation spot with certain liberties and a level of control nobody enjoys anywhere else in the world. Size doesn’t always mean better, but do keep in mind that the FOUR theme parks at Disney World have a sheer vastness that Universal can’t compare to.

CityWalk Vs. Disney Springs

Like Disneyland Resort in California, Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disneyland, Universal Orlando is a two theme park resort. Like Disneyland they also have a shopping and entertainment district. The Universal CityWalk is like Downtown Disney, or better yet, the original Universal CityWalk at Universal Studios Hollywood. This is a dynamic outdoor shopping mall with a lot of things to do and explore. Walt Disney World has Disney Springs. It used to be Downtown Disney and before that Pleasure Island. Like Pleasure Island before it, Disney Springs came with a re-imagined back story. It can be enjoyed as another outdoor shopping mall, or observed in detail from a story perspective. Both City Walk and Disney Springs have very unique and fun dining experiences.

Theme Parks

The parks at Universal are Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. While things are trending more toward the immersive in-world experiences for both parks, Islands of Adventure was first conceived for those types of attractions. The park features several “Islands” where guests can be part of the Marvel Universe or Jurassic Park – among other things. Walt Disney World has four theme parks. Magic Kingdom is the one that resembles Disneyland and – like the other 5 Disneyland parks around the world – Magic Kingdom follows the basic model, but is totally unique. Epcot was Disney’s second park in Disney World, but the parks are much farther away than in other resort destinations. That is because Disney has 30,000 acres of space. Walt Disney was able to buy most of the land in secret when it was cheap. Only a small fraction of the land has been developed to this day. Next to Epcot is Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It opened in 1989 just one year before Universal Studios Florida. Disney’s Animal Kingdom was Disney’s last park in Disney World. It opened in 1998, just one year before Islands of Adventure.

Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World also have water parks. Universal’s Volcano Bay is the most recent with some high-tech bands that make waiting in line almost a thing of the past. Walt Disney World has two water parks: Typhoon Lagoon, and Blizzard Beach.

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Audience

For the most part the audiences for both resorts are the same. Universal is expected to be more popular with teens due to the number of thrill rides, but Universal has a variety of attractions themed to cartoon characters for whacky mayhem and silly fun kids love. Disney didn’t really start to get into thrills until the 90’s so it’s understandable that they would have a reputation, especially since the main purpose for Disneyland was to create a place where parents can have fun with their children. Universal is able to go further with scares than audiences will allow from Disney. The prompt removal of Alien Encounter at Magic Kingdom is a good example of the impact of such an adverse response.

So, both places are great for adults with or without kids – but guests looking for edgier attractions might find more of what they are looking for at Universal. However, the real difference in audience is what intellectual property is showing up where. Universal, of course has the Universal branded entertainment to work with as well as NBC and licensed property like Dr. Seuss, Marvel, and Harry Potter. Disney has been on a spending spree for the last 20 years, snatching up Marvel, Pixar, Muppets, and Star Wars. Soon, Fox will be entering the arena.

Vacation Type

Because of the way Walt Disney World is set up, guests are really discouraged from ever leaving. Some guests rent a car and will leave Disney World for other attractions like Universal Orlando, but most people just find everything in Disney World so convenient that they don’t want to leave. There is a wide range of free transportation and over two dozen resorts to visit. Plus, sports and recreation. That’s after getting your fill of four theme parks. Walt Disney World is a much larger undertaking from a guest perspective and it can be overwhelming. Universal Orlando is a much more direct and straightforward experience. If you have less time for leisure and can only get away for two or three days, Universal Orlando is the more ideal choice. For a vacation of a week or longer, Walt Disney World is more equipped to support a vacation that size.

If you don’t mind splitting up hotels, two to five nights at Disney and two or three nights at Universal will get you the best of both worlds. I like this solution, because driving in and out of Disney World takes up too much precious vacation time.

Top Attractions

Universal has done something really unique and it’s so exciting to fans who want to see more and are interested in what’s next: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is not only brilliantly and elaborately themed., it’s actually two lands. Hogsmeade was the first one in Islands of Adventure. The new one that opened in 2016 is Diagon Alley and it is even more amazing. The really fun, really fantastic thing is that both Harry Potter worlds are connected by a Hogwarts Express train. So, guests with park hopper passes can board from the Wizarding World in one
park and disembark at the other. Disney’s Animal Kingdom finally opened the long anticipated Pandora addition last year. The Avatar themed world had less fans excited about the lands arrival, but that did nothing to hold back guests from arriving in droves for opening day. The park had to close its gates after just hours. The guests really love the food and the theming, particularly in the queue leading to the ride Flight of Passage, which is one of the most technologically advanced rides to date. Disney Studios also opened a Toy Story Land with two new attractions perfect for kids and plenty of detail to amuse adults. The most anticipated development is the still under construction – Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge – which is supposed to take guest immersion to a whole new level.

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We absolutely love BOTH Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando, and try to visit both whenever possible – that being said, we do realize that each has their benefits or the areas they excel in, so depending on your vacation situation (budget, age groups, time, etc) may lead to deciding one over the other.

Universal Orlando or Walt Disney World? Give them both a try!

Our Experience with Disney Parks Disability Access Service

October 10, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

I was a bit nervous before our recent trip to Walt Disney World, as one of our sons was wearing leg braces, so would be limited in his physical abilities. Luckily, it turned out amazing – and today I’m sharing Our Experience with Disney Parks Disability Access Service (DAS) in case you’re as unfamiliar with it as I was!

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First of all, keep in mind that disabilities come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and needs. If your disability requires/recommends a wheelchair, no need to stress because you actually don’t need a Disability Access Service (also known as DAS) pass, because almost all the lines are made to accomodate wheelchairs already. If there is a ride that doesn’t, they’ll arrange that for you at the ride entrance and make sure you’re taken care of.

Your needs and solutions may be different than ours, but just check with Guest Services inside the park when you arrive and they’ll answer any other questions to give you the best solution possible. Our particular need was that Thor was in leg braces (has to wear them 23 hours a day), and while he needs to be walking in them normally, he can’t stand still for long periods of time. This made lines a real worry – but when we swung by guest relations, they were fantastic and helped us find the best way to help our needs.

They gave us a DAS pass, where Thor was the main person on the account, then everyone in our group was added onto it under him. With this service, we could go to the entrance of a ride and ask for a DAS return time. They’d scan one of our bands, ask how many of us were going (all, or just some) and give us the time we should return to the fast pass entrance. The return times equalled the current wait time, so while we weren’t getting on the ride faster, it saved him from having to STAND in a line. We could go sit while we wait, or do a shorter ride, or see a show.

When it was time to go back, they just scan Thor’s MagicBand to the fast pass scanner, then once it clears the rest in our party that were authorized under his DAS pass could scan ours and go as well. But the person with the DAS pass needs to scan first.

You’re only allowed to do this for ONE ride at a time – and you can go at your return time or anytime LATER in the day. But keep in mind that until you use that one ride, you can’t get another DAS return time for another ride. It basically HOLDS your place in line during that time, without causing him to be in the actual line.

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Another important part – the main person (that has the need for the DAS) is required to go on the ride you have the time for. For example, he didn’t want to do Tower of Terror again, so we didn’t/weren’t able to get a return time for that since only some of us were going, and not him. We just did the normal line, since we didn’t have his need to not stand to worry about.

I almost cancelled our trip because I was so concerned about how he’d manage with those lines and standing still so long, but I’m so grateful I didn’t because it was a wonderful vacation! He did great, the staff was so patient with him (occasionally he took a bit longer walking or getting in/out of rides due to his leg braces) that it worked out as perfectly as we could have hoped.

Any other tips for disabilities at the Disney Parks?

Disney Activity & Autograph Book

October 3, 2018 by Danielle 24 Comments

By popular demand, we’ve updated our Disney-themed autograph & activity books! Now there’s even more pages for extended fun while you’re at any Disney-themed park, cruise, event or just at home for some magical fun. Here’s the major changes we made with our ‘Unofficial’ Disney Activity & Autograph Book:

Contains purchase/affiliate links. See our disclosure for more info.

Changes:

Now there is no park-specific option. Pages are all general Disney-themes, so will work at any of the parks, cruise line, etc.
54 Total pages of activities, memory sheets and autograph pages
Cover now says ‘My Magical Vacation’
Newer characters, such as Moana, now included in autograph sheets

Get the PDF HERE for just $2!

Get the new PRINTED version from Amazon HERE (coming soon)

Get the old PRINTED version from Amazon HERE

Check out our Facebook live showing of the OLD book HERE

Since our original book was released a couple of years ago, people are LOVING it! The favorites so far are the fun Star Wars autograph pages, jokes, and creating your own treehouse or superhero. With more than 54 pages in the new book, there’s plenty for everyone, whether young or old! Yes, us adults even enjoy them 🙂

Disney Activity Pages

To keep short attention spans happy, we included a large variety of things for them to do, such as:

Games
Mazes
Connect the Dots
Matching
Crosswords
Create your own map, super hero suit and treehouse
Coloring
Jokes
Trivia
and more!

Even THOR loved playing the games with my friend Lexi’s boy!

Disney Autograph Pages

Long gone are the days of boring, blank autograph pages – we’ve got more than 28 creatively designed ones to nab signatures from favorite characters! We’ve covered classics like Mickey & Minnie, Donald, and Goofy, princesses like Ariel, Belle and Rapunzel, and even Darth Vader and Avengers! Such a great Disney souvenir!

Donald Duck went CRAZY for his special page – it says #1 Duck, of course!

Even Minnie got in on the fun, along with Chip at Goofy’s Kitchen!

We’re excited to catch try and catch Kilo Ren next time – got the perfect page just for him!

Disney Memories

Creating memories together is a HUGE reason to do family vacations, right? I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been very good at writing them down before we forget many! Now you can keep track with our several pages designed exactly for that purpose – keeping the most important moments safe. You can list funny moments or things people said on the trip, favorite foods and rides, how old people were and who was with you, and even trace your child’s hand print so you can remember how big – or little – they were! Updated – no longer with dates, so you can use them any year!

To make it super easy to put in your bags or carry around at the parks, we sized it at 6×9. Our kids had no problem keeping track of theirs – they refused to let us carry them since they were having so much fun!

We have two options for the book, so you can get it in whatever way works best for your family:

Disney Themed – any park, trip, cruise, etc.

PDF Download: print and bind it yourself, especially nice if you have lots of children (via Gumroad)
Old Version Professional Printed Book: already bound with shiny cover (via Amazon)
New Version Professional Printed Book: already bound with shiny cover (via Amazon) – coming soon

So turn the lines at Disney from boring to fantastic with our newly updated ‘Unofficial’ Disney Activity & Autograph Book! More info available in our Store!

This is included in our Busy Mom Bundle, along with other fabulous printable packs!

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Check out our other products HERE

Family Home Binder

2018 Planner & Calendar

Summer Camp Kits or Kid Activity Packs

A YEAR of Meal Plans plus Recipes – on a budget!

Other Disney fun you may like!

Tips & Tricks for Meeting Characters at Walt Disney World

September 28, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

Our family loved meeting some fun characters on our recent trip. Whether meeting characters is your top priority or just a nice enhancement to your Disney vacation, it’s good to plan beforehand. You make reservations for food and secure your fast passes, why not put the same level of effort into the characters you meet? It’s easy to get wrapped up in the hunt and lose a lot of your vacation time finding and waiting for these characters, so here are some Tips & Tricks for Meeting Characters at Walt Disney World.

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Character Fastpass

Some character meet and greets offer Fastpass+. Save yourself a lot of time by securing your plans in line for popular meet and greets. Mickey and Minnie Fastpasses can be claimed for Animal Kingdom, Epcot and Magic Kingdom. Ariel and Belle have Meet and Greets in New Fantasyland. Rapunzel and others can be found in Princess Fairytale Hall in Fantasyland, and Tinkerbell has a location in Town Square.

Invest in Memory Maker

If you are making Character moments a big part of your disney trip, consider purchasing the Memory Maker package. You will get to keep all of the professional photos taken at character locations and on rides. It’s easier on you and you never miss a photo op. You can have the photographers snap a picture with your camera for free, but it’s better with the professional equipment.

Meet and Greet Locations

Study your maps and show schedules. They will let you know where characters will be, who they will be and when they will be there. Meet Greets are scheduled at permanent locations all over the parks.

Stay Alert for Rare Characters

While you are moving around the park, stay alert for characters that might just pop up. Usually these are rarer characters and quite often they will pop up in Epcot either in front of the American Adventure or between the UK and Canada Pavilions.

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For an extra special moment with Baymax, wear a fun "how to fist bump according to Baymax" shirt! Everyone loved it! #fistbump #baymax #bighero6 #epcot #WaltDisneyWorld
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Dance Parties

For more character fun without the lines plan on attending one or more dance parties. These are happening all over. There is an Incredibles Dance Party in Tomorrowland right now, Donald’s Dino Bash in Disney’s Animal Kingdom (with lots of great photo locations, too!), and the Disney Junior Dance Party Coming this Fall to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The Dance parties are a free part of your guest experience in the park. However, you can also buy tickets to after hours parties like Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. You can also buy an “Enchanting Extra” like Princess Tiana’s Ice Cream Social and Parade Viewing Party.

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Character Dining

Last of Course is Character Dining. You can eat and greet with characters at any of the parks and many of the hotels outside the parks, which saves the cost of park admission. The two best princess meals are Cinderella’s Royal Table in Magic Kingdom and Akershus at the Norway Pavilion in Epcot. Boardwalk, Beach Club, Polynesian,Grand Floridian, Contemporary, and Fort Wilderness all have character dining. It usually is “all you care to enjoy” family style or buffet, so don’t make another dining reservation too soon after a character meal.

Which character at Walt disney World do you want to meet?

Tour Guides for Families at Walt Disney World

September 26, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

We receive complimentary guide services from Michael’s VIPs to facilitate this post. All opinions are ours alone.

Phew, it’s been just a few weeks since our big family Disney World trip, and we’re already missing it. As we look back and remember everything we did, we’re reminded how much we were able to fit into our time there – and it’s all because we had our ‘magical’ tour guide to help us out! If you’re not sure if hiring private Tour Guides for Families at Walt Disney World is Worth it, check out our experience: you may realize that they’re worth every penny, and more!

First of all, your tour guide services don’t start just when you get to the park – with Michael’s VIPS, they help you plan from start to finish (or anywhere in between). They even will help reserve your dining and fast passes; it’s a full service to set your trip up for success! A few days before we arrived, our guide Renee contacted me to go over details. We discussed the kids ages and heights (in case you have littles who can’t do certain attractions), if there were any restrictions, any rides we wanted to avoid or ones we were hoping to do over and over again. We made a game plan, and set our time to meet that first morning. She was right there at the entrance of Magic Kingdom waiting for us, and the kid immediately loved her friendly personality and it was hugs all around! Then we were off on our adventure…

As a mom, my absolute FAVORITE thing about having a tour guide for families at Disney World is that she handles all the details – I didn’t have to check times or fast passes, or reservations. I was able to just go along and enjoy my time with my family, without the stress. What’s crazy is, you can’t really even tell she’s constantly checking everything! She’s right there with you, alert and in conversations, chatting happily with the kids – but she is constantly aware of the plan, ride wait times, upcoming parades or shows that could affect crowds and traffic, everything. Not only that, but we like to joke that Michael’s VIPs are ‘walking, talking maps’ because they know all the routes, where every ride and event is, and even where all the bathrooms are (and which are the best ones!).

That’s really convenient for families, because if you have kids you KNOW there’s plenty of ‘I need to go to the bathroom’ moments! I realized that, since every time we were near one she’d ask if anyone needed to go, we didn’t run into the issue of emergencies or inconvenient potty breaks. That was super nice! I remember so many trips to Disneyland where we’d be far from a restroom, or about to get on a ride, when a kid just HAD to go. Not this trip, though! It’s fun how many little stories of bits of information the guides have – such as why Animal Kingdom has bathroom doors, unlike most of the other parks’ bathrooms (answer: in the very unlikely event a wild animal got out, people could get to safety in a restroom!). And if you do get a chance with a tour guide from Michael’s VIPs, ask about the ‘poop trail’ at Magic Kingdom. The kids still bring that up!

Our first day at Magic Kingdom, we had done every ride by about noon – and hadn’t felt rushed at all! We were trying to remember the longest wait we had any of the days we had Renee with us, and we don’t think that any wait was more than 5 minutes or so – but most of the rides were just however long it took us to walk up there! There’s so many reasons that having a tour guide with Michael’s VIPS is well worth the cost, but especially when you consider how much more you’re able to do in a much shorter amount of time with them. It means you can plan on less days, hotel nights, food, all of that because you don’t HAVE to go for as long – you’ll be able to get a ton done! Plus, less standing in line saves everyone’s sanity – especially moms 😉

Renee stayed with us each of the days up until we’d done pretty much everything, then let us decide if we wanted her to stay longer or if we were good to go redo things on our own however we’d like. I loved and appreciated the flexibility! These guys even go above and beyond so much – when one of our kiddos got a bit sick (from a ride or heat, we’re still not quite sure), and felt better sitting off one of the rides, Renee was happy to let her stay off with her so none of us had to miss it. She even bought her a drink to help her hydrate more. They TRULY care! Plus, they’re prepared – there were a few times she whipped out some pepto pills to help some of our more sensitive stomachs. At one of the lunches, we were happy to invite her to join us and the kids had a blast at the ‘fun table’ with her – so cute!

The guides love kids, and are so patient with them. It’s their job to make your family happy and help you have the best vacation possible – but you can tell it’s not just their job, it’s what they truly love and care about your family. If you’ve read our previous experiences with Michael’s VIPS – when it was just my mom and I at our first time at Disney World, or last year when hubby wasn’t sure a guide was worth it for couples – then you know how great each and every time with them has been, despite being different groups and circumstances. Families are very different, but after this I’m convinced that our trip wouldn’t have been even nearly as good or enjoyable without Renee’s amazingness. What’s funny – day two with her and one of our girls was like “is Renee magic or something? How does she make it so we can do so much without any waiting?” Yup, these guides are magical – and priceless!

It was a very sad ‘see you later’ when we parted ways at the end. The kids kept saying how much they missed Renee, and she was more than thrilled when we texted her a few days later letting her know that. When we WERE on our own, the kids kept commenting how it was a bit more frustrating and ‘boring’ because we weren’t as magical as her – there were more waiting in lines, and we may have gotten lost a time or two. We still had a wonderful time, but it was much easier, less stressful and we got to do a lot more with the help of our wonderful guide. You can read even more reasons to choose Michael’s tour guides here!

Contact Michael’s VIPs for YOUR next trip to Walt Disney World – or Disneyland!

My Kids’ First Visit to Walt Disney World

September 19, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

As many of you know, we went on a huge family trip to Disney World a few weeks ago. It’s been a couple years of planning and saving to take the whole crew, but it was completely amazing! I’ll be sharing a lot more details of our adventures, foods, shows, rides and more in the coming while, but today I wanted to tell you the overall fun from My Kids’ First Visit to Walt Disney World. Lots of pictures included, of course!

One of the things I was most excited for with this trip was it was mostly NEW to the kids. While they’ve been to Disneyland several times, this was very different. We got to see their reactions to new rides, foods, characters, sites – even the themed hotel (All-Star Music) was new, so that started the trip off with lots of smiles and eagerness. We flew in, so they even got to experience the Magical Express!

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Since we made sure to watch several important movies to prepare us for our Disney trip, such as Avatar, the kids were really looking forward to exploring Pandora at Animal Kingdom. From the floating mountains, drum shows, beautiful glowing ‘forest’ at night, to the huge MECH, they loved every little detail. And since there’s so much, I’m sure we didn’t even catch it all this time! As you can tell from several of our photos, it was certainly hot and BRIGHT in Orlando when we went, so sometimes squinty eyes were the best pics we could do 🙂

My favorite part – SO MUCH FAMILY TIME! Yes, we all got a little annoyed or impatient with each other at some point during the trip (with that much walking, plus little sleep because so much fun, it’s bound to happen), but we were together practically every moment for the trip. We got to talk about things – not just about the rides or the vacation, but random learning opportunities (like forced perspective at Pandora, or vehicle topics at Test Track) and other fun conversations. We took many pictures together (yes, even with mom in there – yay!), and even hubby and I made sure to get some time together on some rides or pictures.

With the Epcot Food & Wine Festival going on, the kids got to try several new foods – not only there, but at the various restaurants and buffets. I was impressed with how many new things they were willing to try. For example, Thor loved clams, which I never would have thought! Plenty of desserts and treats were enjoyed by us all, of course – and we learned that on your birthday, you can get a free slushie at Club Cool in Epcot. If it’s your birthday while you’re there – go and enjoy!

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Shopping with money they’d been saving for months was a highlight for the kiddos – the boys even shared in adopting a Banshee. We learned which kids have a tendency to spend as fast as they can, and which are more reserved and wait for the item that will make them happiest. Our wonderful guide Renee got us VIP seating at The Lion King Show, so the kids got to participate in some of the dancing and fun. (we received complimentary guide services for our trip) Seeing our kiddos interact with each other during the trip was also amazing – watching as they grew closer together and really enjoyed being a family was priceless!

Other highlights included: catching Songbird’s face the very first morning in front of the castle (she’d never been to ANY theme park before) and her pure joy. Finding the exact same guy that did a fun caricature for hubby and I last year to do one of ALL the kids, and having that keepsake. Having the chance to share our FIRST experience in Toy Story Land together, remembering all those incredible films.

We walked a TON, and slept a little. There were moments we’d catch some of the family sneaking in a quick nap – like hubby on the ferry boat. And yes, we made sure we tried ALL the transportation options at Walt Disney World, such as the resort shuttle, monorail and ferry boats.

I’m still almost giddy because of how much fun, joy and memories were made during our Walt Disney World vacation. The kids even made a new friend with our ‘magical’ guide Renee, who made our trip even more incredible than we could have possibly imagined. (Thank you Renee – we love you!)

Like I said, many more details for all we did are coming up – but for now, I had to share a bunch of the happy times with y’all!

What’s YOUR favorite thing about taking kids to Walt Disney World?

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Things to know about Mobile Ordering at Walt Disney World

September 12, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

Mobile Ordering started at Walt Disney World about three years ago in some select locations, and it rapidly expanded to many locations at all four theme parks. If you’ve ever used mobile order for your coffee, or other fast food during your morning commute, it is basically the same thing you’re already used to. You access the option through My Disney Experience, the phone app that helps you manage your itinerary, reservations, Fastpasses, etc. Here are some things you should know about Mobile Ordering at Walt Disney World.

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Quick Service Food Tool: In a nutshell, mobile ordering at Walt Disney World is an order and pay tool for quick service food locations. It’s designed to give you an option other than waiting in line. This is great when you want to make the best use of your time – or have kids who are hangry, so a food line isn’t ideal.

Stake out the Dining Room: You can find your table and order without leaving until it is time to pick it up. Mobile order is not available at table service restaurants or at kiosks.

Alerts From Mobile Order Restaurants: You can set up notifications in your My Disney Experience app so that you get an alert when you are in range of a meal or snack location that accepts Mobile Order. Turn on recommendations under Mobile Device Notifications On your profile.

You Can Use the Dining Plan: If you are on a Disney Dining Plan, Mobile Order is compatible with that, so you don’t have to pay out of pocket if you have snack or meal credits. Otherwise, you need to pay with a credit card. Currently the tool is not equipped to take payment via the magic band or Disney Gift cards.

Mobile Order Uses Your Location: Your food is not prepared until you are within a certain range of the location, so you don’t have to worry about the food going cold on the counter or drying under a heat lamp.

Separate Pick-up: By using mobile order, you skip the line to order and pay. There is sometimes a line at the mobile order pick up and sometimes not.

Order is Ready: You receive notifications after your food is ready, but you can usually pick up before the notification goes out. Be sure to have your app handy at pick up to answer any questions regarding your order.

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No Hotel Options Yet: Currently, mobile ordering at Walt Disney World is only available in the four major theme parks.

Magic Kingdom offers it at several, including Columbia Harbor House, Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe, Casey’s Corner, Aloha Isle and more.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios has Mobile Order at the ABC Commissary, Backlot Express, Rosie’s All American Cafe, and Woody’s Lunchbox plus others.
Epcot only offers it at Liberty Inn in the American Adventure and Electric Umbrella.
Animal Kingdom offers Mobile Order at Flame Tree Barbecue, Harambe Market, Satu’li Canteen, Restaurantosaurus and Pizzafari.

Mobile Order in Disney Springs: The one location outside of the parks that currently offers Mobile Order is D-Luxe Burger at Disney Springs. But keep checking, because more restaurants are joining in all the time.

What’s your favorite quick service restaurant at Walt Disney World?

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Helpful Tips and Tricks on What to Pack for Disney World

August 29, 2018 by Danielle 2 Comments

Save yourself some stress and be as prepared as possible for your Disney vacation. By following these helpful packing tips you’ll maximize your enjoyment and avoid some common drawbacks. Not only that, but knowing better what and how to Pack for Disney may even save you some money!

Wallet

Make sure you have cash in your wallet that you can use in a pinch to tip your driver, bell service, etc. This can save you from needing to use an ATM and possibly face those fees. In addition to that, bring plenty of Disney gift cards and the credit card you purchased your reservations on.

Clothes

It’s almost always hot, though it might get a little cooler on winter nights. There is a lot of walking involved, so comfortable walking shoes are a must. Please don’t be one of those people struggling in the parks in stilettos. To maximize comfort, wear shorts or a skirt (if you’re braver than me) and light breathable clothing. Formal wear is not a necessity if you are looking to pack light – however, for some dining reservations (like Victoria & Alberts!) you may need to get a little dressier.

Health and Beauty

Remember to bring sunscreen and use it every day – don’t forget the back of your neck if you have short hair or will wear a ponytail! Nothing zaps the fun out of a vacation in the sun like getting burned. Ya, I’ve learned that the hard way. Pain reliever is also good to have on hand, versus paying extra for it when you get there. Consider any other toiletries, ointments, or remedies you might need in advance so you can avoid the upcharge later.

You will need room in your suitcase to bring back souvenirs, of course. You can create that space and save money on water by packing a whole pallet of drinking water for the trip. It’s important to stay hydrated and you can get a 24 pack of bottled water for the price of a single bottle in one of the parks. By the end of the trip, water’s gone and there is room for all the t-shirts, plushes, and other awesome stuff you buy to commemorate your trip.

Accessories

Bring a cord and adapter for charging your phone overnight in your room. If you keep up on this you will not need to purchase or pack an external charger. The parks even have charging stations in case of an emergency. Small, travel-friendly backpacks can be your best friend – I don’t go to the parks without this one that’s been fabulous for 2 years!

Don’t forget an umbrella and some disposable ponchos, especially if you are going to Disney World in the Summertime. Ponchos are one thing you don’t want to be buying last minute in the middle of a rainstorm, trust me!

And definitely don’t forget your autograph books – these are the ones I made, complete with activities for during line waits. You can nab one here or on Amazon here!

Check out our previous post on What to Pack for Disney for more specific packing tips!

Everything You Need to Know about Tipping at Disney World

August 22, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

Are tips accepted in Disney World? Absolutely – but with exceptions. While some Cast members are required to not accept tips for the most part, there are some positions at Disney where customary tipping is expected. Those cast members are paid by Disney as tipped employees, which means they can earn up to $3 less than minimum wage. When you vacation in Disney World, be sure to bring enough cash to cover tips for transportation, certain hotel services, and food servers. Here’s everything you need to know about Tipping at Disney World!

Who are “Tipped Employees?”

The following job types are classified as “tipped” and will gladly accept gratuity for their services.

Drivers: Obviously, the taxi service, or ride share app you use takes tips, but don’t forget about the Mickey’s Magical Express driver. They are your first point of contact on your Walt Disney World vacation and they work hard to make the experience magical. They’ll appreciate the gratuity. Generally, have $1 or $2 handy per piece of luggage they store and retrieve for you. The drivers on the internal buses do not take tips.

Hotel Services: Bell Service cast members are also tipped employees. Generally, anyone handling your bags will accept gratuity. The usual amount is $1 to $2 per bag. Salon and spa services are also tipped. Gratuity for massage, pedicure, etc. should be between 15% and 20% depending on the quality of service.

Food Service: Servers at table service restaurants do accept tips. It is also customary to tip at buffet restaurants, but not counter service or kiosks. The average tip for food service is 18% of the bill before tax. The minimum suggested tip is 15%.

Recognizing the Exceptional Efforts of Non-Tipped Employees

Non tipped Cast members include: ride operators, custodial cast members, outdoor venders and basically anybody not mentioned above. They cannot accept tips unless they have refused up to three times. Even then, the tip is taken to management. The best way to recognize these people for doing an exemplary job is to request a Great Service Fanatic card. You can also call or email Guest Communications: 407-824-4321 wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com You can even tweet @WDWToday with #castmembercompliment to show them some extra love and recognition!

Tell us your best experience with a cast member!

Five Top News Stories For Walt Disney World This Week

August 8, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

If you’re a big Disney park fan like us – especially if you’re planning a trip there anytime soon – Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom all have new experiences to offer. Plus, no more plastic straws. Here’s the Five Top News Stories for Walt Disney World This Week – read on for details.

Check out Get Away Today to book your trip today!

Be Our Guest Prix Fixe Menu

Be Our Guest restaurant now offers a new, enhanced dining experience as of July 27th. They serve dinner as a three course Prix Fixe menu. The enhanced dinner menu is much more French. Appetizers include Escargot and Charred Octopus. Among the entrees are Saffron- infused Seafood Bouillabaisse, Center-cut Filet Mignon, and Poulet Rouge Chicken. End the meal with a delicate dessert trio.

NEW Keepsake at Tower of Terror

You can now get a special photo keepsake whenever you “drop in” at the Hollywood Tower Hotel. The lenticular photo changes to show you entering The Twilight Zone with a fun and eerie effect. Memory Maker packages do not include the keepsake, and it is not part of Photo Pass. You must buy it separately, and they do charge $19.95 plus tax.

Vampirina Coming To Disney’s Hollywood Studios

The new Disney Junior character will be joining the Disney Junior Play and Dine breakfast at Hollywood and Vine in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, beginning on September 30. Later this year, she will join the Disney Junior Dance Party at the park. Vampirina is an age appropriate cartoon about a vampire girl in a Munsters-like family who is making new friends in a human neighborhood and learning to celebrate her differences.

No More Plastic Straws

Single use plastic straws and plastic drink stirrers will no longer be used at any Disney owned locations. This new commitment is part of an ongoing environmental initiative by the Disney Company. The change will take effect in the middle of next year. It is still unknown whether they will replace the plastic straws with paper, or charge for reusable straws.

Don’t forget to check out Get Away Today to book your trip today!

New Lounge in Animal Kingdom

Right in the heart of the action at Dinoland USA, Restaurantosaurus has added a brand new lounge. Dinoland USA is a split American themed addition to Animal Kingdom that features dinosaurs in a campy roadside attraction setting, next to a science institute where time rovers study actual prehistoric creatures. Students at the institute live in on-site quarters that double as an elaborately decorated restaurant. That restaurant now has a lounge which offers snacks, as well as specialty drinks like Tequilasaurus and Primordial Booze.

What other news stories for Walt Disney World are you excited for?

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